Piper PA-32-301 accident near Nacogdoches, Texas, September 19, 1994
On September 19, 1994 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-301, registered N8398J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Nacogdoches, Texas (A.L. Mangham JR. Regional airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR CROSSWIND DURING LANDING ROLLOUT. A FACTOR WAS THE VARIABLE CROSSWIND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 19, 1994 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Nacogdoches, Texas · A.L. Mangham JR. Regional
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-301 · all PA-32-301s on the register
- Registration
- N8398J · registry record · serial 32-8106073
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING LANDING ROLLOUT, THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR LEFT THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE RETURNED TO THE RUNWAY, VEERED TO THE RIGHT, AND EXITED THE RUNWAY ON THE RIGHT SIDE. THE AIRPLANE THEN IMPACTED A DITCH AND SLID TO A STOP ON THE TAXIWAY. THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR SEPARATED AND THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE WINDS VARIED FROM CALM TO A 90 DEGREE CROSSWIND IN EXCESS OF 20 KNOTS.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 152 hours in all; 84 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 74 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,685 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 12, 1993; 220 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,282 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LFT Lafayette LA
- Destination: OCH TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 5 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:15 pm from OCH
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.